There are many applications particularly with respect to computing devices where authorization or registration of the device and/or the software thereof is required to allow the computing device to function in its intended manner. In most systems such machines are online or have the capability to directly communicate with a remote computer and the computerized machine exchanges a series of communications with the remote computer to successfully authorize the machine for its intended use. Such arrangements are also used with respect to licensing of software. Often, before software can be used a registration process must be successfully completed. This typically includes the machine recording certain information with the remote computer during an online communication.
In other applications and in particular casino gaming machines it is desirable to maintain control over an existing gaming machine which is offline and typically does not include an active online communication function. One such application is where game machines are leased to an offshore company and the games are used in a remote location, country or different jurisdiction. Various jurisdictions can have different requirements for allowing the machine to communicate with a remote database server and in some applications this type of dedicated machine may not have an active capability of communicating with the remote database server.
In situations where the gaming machines are not connected for online communication (offline) it is still desirable to maintain control thereof and typically the games may be licensed for a certain period of time and upon expiry of this time, the machine is rendered inactive, has reduced functionality and/or no longer executes the particular function, program or series of programs. Some lease arrangements include a percentage of profit or revenue of the machine and settlement is required from time to time. The system typically authorizes machines for a specified period of use and at the end of that period, a new lease arrangement or renewal is required.
A manual communication to create or renew a game machine lease or a manual procedure for extending a lease of an existing machine can include an individual operator entering certain parameters of the machine such as its unique serial number into a database using an online computer. The manual input of this information is not particularly efficient and tends to be time consuming and is subject to inaccurate information. These factors can contribute to non compliance or delayed compliance.
The present invention provides an efficient method for reducing manual steps and simplifies data entry provisions necessary to create or extend a lease or otherwise authorize a computing device to function or to continue to function in an authorized manner.